1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to manufacturing technologies for electronic devices and, more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for measuring and monitoring layer properties in web-based processes.
2. Background
Over the last decades, progress in semiconductor manufacturing technology has centered on technology for increasing the scale of integration. Until recently, the process of photolithography on crystal and silicon wafers, where the desired structure is created by projecting a mask photolithographically onto a photo resist, has been the dominant semiconductor manufacturing process. However, photolithography is expensive for microfabrication processes involving large-area electronic devices, microelectromechanical (MEMS), and mechanical structures.
Web-based microfabrication is an emerging cost-effective manufacturing technology for such electronic devices, such as, for example, large area displays, solar cells, and/or touch sensitive surfaces, which relies on continuous imprinting of a desired pattern onto the photo resist, thus enabling elimination of start-up and stop times associated with traditional fabrication and ensuring higher quality and lower cost processing. However, web-based microfabrication technology requires accurate monitoring of layer properties.
What is needed is an apparatus and a method for measuring and monitoring layer properties in web-based processes, such as, for example, electrical resistance and capacitance parameters, and layer thickness, compositions, and impurities.